Best Reflector Telescopes with Reviews

Reflector telescopes are a small category of the wide myriad of telescope types. Its differentiating factor is that they use one or several curved mirrors to reflect light facilitating image formation. Just to mention, the second telescope type, refractors, use a lens to transmit light. The third type, optical telescopes, use both lens and mirrors. Reflector telescopes were incepted as an alternative to refracting telescopes in the early 17th century. Determining what is the best reflector or refractor telescope hugely depends on individual scope features.

Reflector telescopes are designed to allow a large objective diameter. Due to this, they are the major telescope type used in astronomy. These telescopes come in varying designs employing different optical elements all aiming at achieving an improved image quality.

That said, some of the best reflector telescopes include the following:

Top 5 Best Reflector Telescopes

The Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope

Astronomical aficionados will find the Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope the best reflector telescope for money, especially for beginners. Being the best beginner reflector telescope, it comes with amazing features that make it an ideal choice for near and deep sky observation. With this, viewing brighter nebulas, clusters and galaxies won’t be a problem. Like other great telescopes, its construction system features aluminum mirror coatings to enhance clarity and image brightness.

Features of The Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope

Aperture – the scope has a 5” wide aperture which is an excellent size for starters and intermediate astronomy enthusiasts to view the moon, bright planets, stars and nebulas in fine details. The reflector is also made from all glass mirrors coated with highly reflective aluminum.

Mount – The Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope has an equatorial mount designed for optimal astronomical observing. With such a smooth mount, turning to follow planets and stars traveling across the scar is quite easy.

Focuser – this reflector scope has a rack and pinion focuser of 1.25” with dual focusing knobs that allow precise image control from either hand. The knobs are large enough thus easy to operate even with gloves or fingers mitten in the cold weather.

Eyepieces – the scope has two eyepieces lens. Both are 1.25” with the high-power lens having the 250X eyepiece and low power having 50X. They have a 0.9® field of view which is near twice the diameter of a full moon. Both eyepiece lens has an anti-reflection coating on the lens surface which provides sharp images and exceptional contrast.

Finderscope – the optical tube attaches to a low power 5X, 24mm finderscope.

Tripod – the scope comes with a lightweight tripod that easily adjusts for both standing and seated observations. Like other good tripods, it has an accessory shelf that provides ample space to hold your extra eyepieces and Barlow lenses.

Warranty – manufacturers of this intriguing scope give a two-year warranty. This is the utmost expression of manufacturer’s confidence in their products.

Cons of The Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope

Quite expensive for astronomical amateurs

Like other best Newtonian reflector telescopes, users need to be familiar with collimation.

The Orion 9827 AstroView Equatorial Reflector Telescope

Individuals graduating from amateur refractor telescopes may consider this as the best scope option. This is not only due to the more light gathering power but also its versatility. The Orion 9827 AstroView Equatorial Reflector Telescope has various features making it a perfect choice for those willing to widen their astronomical adventure.

Features of The Orion 9827 AstroView Equatorial Reflector Telescope

Aperture – most beginner telescopes come with 5” aperture size. However, as mentioned above, this is for astronomical amateur graduates. This is perhaps why beating its 6” aperture is hard. The aperture is graced by the 750mm focal length reflector optics that provides exciting views of various celestial objects.

Mount – being the second most important element of a telescope, The Orion 9827 AstroView Equatorial Reflector Telescope comes with an EQ-3 equatorial mount with slow motion control knobs. This allows fast tracking of objects within the viewing field.

Tripod – the scope’s mount is built into a sturdy adjustable aluminum tripod that comes with an accessory tray. The tray has enough space for placing 6X30 finder, racks and pinion focusers and eyepieces.

Finderscope – this scope has a 6X30 achromatic finderscope that makes it easy for users to have a close inspection of the objects.

Warranty – manufacturers of this telescope give a one-year limited warranty that covers any defects in materials or workmanship.

Accessories that accompany this telescope include the following:

A collimation cap

Tube rings

A polar axis finder scope

Counterweight shaft

Leg attachment screws

Wing nuts and washers

Leg lock knobs

Night special edition software

Wrenches and much more

Pros of The Orion 9827 AstroView Equatorial Reflector Telescope

Has high optical quality

Easy assembly as no tools or special expertise is required.

Portable

Relatively affordable

Has a large aperture size perfect for providing an exceptional view

Has various accessories aimed at bettering your astronomical experience.

One-year warranty exudes manufacturer’s confidence

Cons of The Orion 9827 AstroView Equatorial Reflector Telescope

Extra care is required just like other Newtonian reflector telescopes

The Orion 09843 SpaceProbe Reflector Telescope

This is yet another best reflecting telescope for astronomy beginners. Just to mention, Orion scope manufacturers produce nothing less of high-end quality. This model adds to the various Orion SpaceProbe scope series and perhaps the best in this category. With a weight of just 16lbs, the scope is perfect for night escapades with excellent viewing capabilities matching those of expensive instruments. Its viewing abilities lets your whole family view and enjoy the beautiful night sky from the backyard of your home.

Features of The Orion 09843 SpaceProbe Reflector Telescope

Aperture – though not at its best, the scope features 3” aperture. This is a better way to move on from refractor telescopes with the same aperture. Being a Newtonian telescope with such an aperture, expect clear views of the moon’s surface, rings of Saturn and the overly gigantic Jupiter. So to say, this is more than enough to provide light to view impressive deep sky objects.

Optics – the scope comes with advanced optics mounted on a smooth 1.25” rack and pinion focuser. This allows for precise adjustment to your preferred views. The focuser also comes with a pair of Kellner eyepieces of 10mm and 25mm. The eyepieces provide 28X and 70X magnification respectively.

Mount – The Orion 09843 SpaceProbe Reflector Telescope comes with a German equatorial mount. This is far superior compared to the alt-azimuth mount but budget friendly. The mount allows for easy fine-tuning at whatever celestial object you are focusing on.

Finderscope – like other similar telescopes, the finderscope included makes it a lot easier for beginners to view planets, moon and the star or other deep-seated sky objects.

Tripod – the scope comes with a height-adjustable tripod attached with accessory trays and aluminum legs.

Warranty – like other Orion telescopes, The Orion 09843 SpaceProbe Reflector Telescope comes with a one-year warranty against any material defects.

Pros of The Orion 09843 SpaceProbe Reflector Telescope

Its German equatorial mount makes it easy to track the planet, moon, and stars.

Among the best Orion’s solid design

Has an excellent tripod stand for a sturdy astronomical escapade.

Cons of The Orion 09843 SpaceProbe Reflector Telescope

Assembly instructions are quite confusing

The Orion StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector Telescope

This scope is certainly one of the great grab and go telescopes designed for amateur and intermediate astronomy aficionados. Yet again from Orion, the scope provides utmost fun and compact scope model for any family in need of a natural inclination to astronomical exploration. Its high-quality construction coupled with undoubtable performance, this scope is one to invest in with no doubt of failure in mind.

Features of The Orion StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector Telescope

Aperture – its 4.5” or 114mm aperture size enables the telescope to perform best under a bright deep sky. Its lens consists of a low thermal expansion borosilicate glass thus capable of focusing light for more precision.

Eyepiece – the scope comes with a 17mm and 6mm explorer eyepieces. This is a great eyepiece choice as it provides a large and less magnified window. This makes it easy to find intriguing objects in the sky.

Mount – unlike other telescope models of similar caliber, The Orion StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector Telescope comes with a smooth altazimuth mount. Whereas other scopes opt for equatorial mounts, which are comparably performing, the altazimuth mounts are a better alternative. The mount provides for easy manual tracking of various celestial objects in the sky.

Pros of The Orion StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector Telescope

Cons of The Orion StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector Telescope

Not suitable for astronomy pros

Requires extra maintenance procedures (collimation)

The Orion 08296 10-Inch Newtonian Astrograph Reflector Telescope

The Orion 08296 is perhaps the largest reflector telescope optimized with exceptional astro-imaging at mind. The scope boasts of having a 10” parabolic optics and a fast f/3.9 focal ratio thus providing an excellent field of view. With this, expect stunning images when observing even the faint galaxies and nebulas despite having limited exposure time.

Conclusion

Reflector telescopes offer priceless guarantee for those seeking to advance their astronomical endeavors. Designed exclusively for extensive astronomy, reflector telescopes come in varying telescope designs with extreme visual bangs. As mentioned, reflector telescopes collect and focus the necessary scope light using mirrors. The telescope models outlined above can be the best place to begin when searching for the best reflector telescope to invest in.

For those seeking to venture in deep-sky observation, the Orion reflector telescopes are a prudent choice. Their precision, striking views of the sky and revealing nature are just but a few features to mention. However, other telescope models bring competitive features on the market. All scopes aiming to provide exceptional view of the moon, stars and other celestial objects. Other telescopes with excellent features which are the best telescopes to buy include the following:

The FunScope 76mm tabletop reflector telescope

The Orion StarBlast 6i Intelliscope reflector telescope

The Celestron Nexstar 130 SLT computerized telescope

The Gskyer professional astronomical reflector telescope

The Celestron 21023 Cometron FirstScope

Having mentioned this, finding good reflector telescopes can be quite a daunting task. This is why you should search cautiously for the best to quench your astronomical thirst. Besides looking at the features of the specific telescopes, consider other factors such as the scope price, best telescope reviews, customer recommendations among other factors.

December 20, 2016Comments Off on Best Spotting Scope Buying Guide and Reviews

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